The Taking
by Jville
Summary: Finished! A kidnapping hits home for Frank. Thanks for the reviews!
1. They're Gone

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters of UC Undercover. I borrowed them for a while. All other characters are mine and my friends. I have permission to use them. If the names I create are the same as a real person it was not done intentionally.  
The Taking  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Becky, Derek and Sarah had gone to the mall to have pictures taken as a surprise for their parents. Sarah was starting to get cranky, so they decided to take her home as the trio head for the car Becky looked through her list.  
  
"Damn! I forgot something Mom wanted me to pick up," Becky told Derek, who was putting Sarah in her car seat.  
  
"I just got her settled in here and she's falling asleep," Derek protested.  
  
"I really need to get what she wanted, I won't be that long just stay here with Sarah." Becky kissed him. "Ten minutes tops, I'll be back."  
  
"Ok but hurry up. I won't wait any longer than 10," Derek told her as she took off.  
  
Derek watched Becky go back in the mall. He checked Sarah's car seat, and then went to get in the front. Derek heard someone walking up behind him. He turned only to be met with a fist knocking him out.  
  
Minutes later Becky came out to see the car empty and the doors open. The keys were lying on the ground. Then she saw that Sarah's car seat was missing too. She looked around but didn't see them anywhere. She started to feel herself panic, she got out her cell phone and called for help.  
  
********  
  
At HQ Frank was in his office when the phone rang. "Donovan."  
  
"Mr. Donovan, it's Becky. I need your help." Becky started to cry.  
  
"Becky, calm down tell me what happened."  
  
"Please come to the south mall. I think something has happened to Derek and Sarah."  
  
"What do you mean?" Frank asked, becoming more worried.  
  
"I think they have been kidnapped," Becky said.  
  
"I'm on my way." Frank hung up and went downstairs. "Listen up. Becky just called. She was at the south mall with Sarah and Derek. She thinks they've been kidnapped. Cody, get me the security tapes from every camera source in the area. Monica, I want you and Sab to go tell Elaina and take her home in case they call there. Jake, Alex, come with me."  
  
*****  
  
Sab and Monica make there way to Elaina's office. Sab had been quiet most of the way there. When they get in the elevator to go to her office Sab started to tear up. "How are we going to break this to her?" Sab said, tears running down her face.  
  
"I'll tell her, can you pull it together enough to be with me when I do?" Monica knew she was upset too. Sab and Elaina had become very close friends in the past months.  
  
"I think I can." Sab dried her eyes and calmed herself as they walked off the elevator toward the office. They didn't see Elaina's secretary around so they knocked.  
  
"Come in," Elaina yelled from inside. She looked up from her work to see who was coming in.  
  
"Monica, Sab? what are you doing here?" Elaina asked, curiously.  
  
"We were asked to come here to tell you something," Monica said, not wanting to tell her.  
  
"Frank using a you guy as go betweens when he does something wrong, now?" Elaina joked.  
  
"No. I wish I could say this differently but I don't know how."  
  
"Just tell me Monica." Elaina looked at Sab. She turned so Elaina wouldn't see her tears that were coming back.  
  
"Derek and Sarah have been kidnapped." Monica said it quickly to get it over with. She and Sab waited for her reaction.  
  
"Take me there, NOW!!" Elaina ordered.  
  
"Frank wants you home. In case the kidnappers call there," Sab told her.  
  
"Let's go then. Sabrina, you go tell Andy what's happening. We'll meet you downstairs." Elaina grabbed her things as Sab went over to Andy's office across the hall.  
  
Andy was standing talking to his secretary when Sab barged in his office. "Andy, Monica and I are taking Elaina home. Derek and Sarah have been kidnapped," she blurted out.  
  
"How's Elaina?" Andy asked being in shock himself.  
  
"She's taking it surprisingly well. I thought she'd be a basket case."  
  
"I'll make sure everything is taken care of here. Let Frank know I'll be at the ranch later," Andy told her.  
  
"Why? Shouldn't you be running this place?" Sab wondered.  
  
"Elaina will explain it to you. You better go now," Andy told Sab.  
  
*********  
  
Monica and Elaina were waiting for Sab in the parking garage. "I must admit you're handling this very professionally," Monica commented.  
  
"Frank, I hope is doing the same," Elaina said.  
  
"How can you be so anti-emotional having both children missing?" Monica asked her.  
  
"We knew something like this could happen. You can fall apart when it does or you can try to get them back as quickly as possible," Elaina said. "I actually plan to do both, eventually."  
  
Sab got off the elevator and runs over to the car as Monica started it. "Andy said he'd be at the ranch as soon as he could and that you'd explain."  
  
"Andy will be in charge. I told him if this ever did happened, I wanted him to handle it, to take the pressure off of Frank."  
  
"Frank isn't going to like that," Sab said. Monica nodded in agreement as she drove out of the parking area.  
  
*****  
  
At the mall Frank, Alex and Jake arrived to see Becky waiting with her mother by Derek's car. Jake got in the car and started it. They knew it wasn't damaged to keep Derek there. "Mr. Donovan. I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. We were ready to leave and I forgot something. I had to go back in," Becky started to explain but became very emotional again..  
  
"Becky, it isn't your fault. You had no idea it was going to happen." Frank comforted her. "Mrs. Reynolds, why don't you and Becky go with Agent Cross? She'll ask you some questions about what happened."  
  
"Come on, Becky. We'll go over on the benches and talk." Alex walked them over to the small courtyard in front of the mall.  
  
"Frank these were in the front seat." Jake handed him the things he found. One thing was a piece of paper. It read: You will be contacted at Noon.  
  
"That's about 2 hours from now. Stay with the car and when its done being fingerprinted, drive it back to the ranch," he told Jake. "I'm going to tell Elaina what we found."  
  
"How do you think she's handling it?" Jake asked.  
  
"At first professionally but I'm sure she'll break down eventually, so will I," Frank admitted. "We're only human."  
  
"I know that the two of you've handled these cases but should you be handling this one?" Jake asked.  
  
"We won't be directly involved. She'll have Andy handle it, I'm sure. She said something about it to me once. Have to admit at the time I wasn't crazy about the idea. Now that it's happened, I feel differently." With that Frank walked over to talk to Alex.  
  
Alex walked over to talk to him privately. "She doesn't remember them being followed in the mall. She's pretty upset, still blaming herself, right now."  
  
"Let her go home and rest, maybe later she'll think of something. I'm going home. I want you and Jake to ask around, see if anyone saw anything that might help us. You and Jake can drive Derek's car back." Frank turned and walked to his car.  
  
*****  
  
Elaina paced in front of the window watching for Frank to come home. When she saw Frank's car pull in she ran out to meet him as he got out.  
  
"What did you find, anything?" Elaina was hopeful.  
  
"There was a note, we'll be contacted at noon," Frank said, putting his arms around her.  
  
"Who could be doing this? Why are they waiting so long?" Elaina started to cry.  
  
"They want us to suffer. You know that as well as I do."  
  
"I do know. I don't have to like it."  
  
"I have something else, you won't like either," Frank said, holding her tight. "They took the security bracelets off of them, too."  
  
She looked at him, stunned. "How did they know? We never told Derek not to discuss them. He could've told anyone that asked what they were for."  
  
"I don't think he would. He knows they're for his protection and aren't to be made public knowledge. At least I hope he does."  
  
"I'm scared Frank. I can't decide, if I should handle this as a parent or a cold hearted agent." She put her head against his chest.  
  
"I'm scared too Lady. I'm having the same problem as you. How about we try to do both," he suggested, running his hands in her hair to push it off her face.  
  
Elaina looked in his eyes. "Mind if I'm the hysterical mother right now, because I really need to be. I also need you as my husband right now and not a fellow agent."  
  
"Go ahead. I won't stop you." Frank kissed her, holding her as she cried again.  
  
*******  
  
Sab and Monica were watching from the window. "We shouldn't be watching them," Sab said, not moving away.  
  
"I just wanted to make sure they didn't need us," Monica explained.  
  
"Looks like Elaina is breaking down, hard to tell if Frank is with his back turned," Sab observed.  
  
"Let's get away from here before they see us," Monica said, turning away. 


	2. News about Maria

Frank and Elaina come in after a while of being by themselves. Elaina was still crying a little. "Monica take her upstairs," Frank told her.  
  
"No! I can't go up there. I'll lay on the couch." Elaina knew if she went up there she'd fall apart again.  
  
"Ok. Sabrina, come with me." Frank walked toward the office and as he walked passed the game room he looked in and saw Sarah's toys laying all over the room. He leaned against the door facing. "Damn it! Not now, not yet," He cursed himself as his emotions surfaced.  
  
Sab shut the door to the room pulling him away from the room. "What do you want me to do? Tie in your computers with Cody's?" Sab asked trying to get his mind on what he wanted.  
  
Frank composed himself enough to shake his head yes as they walked in the office. "You're getting to know how I think." Frank managed to smile at her.  
  
"I'm not sure that's a good thing or a bad thing." Sab laughed as she walked over to turn the computers on. "Why can't we trace them with the bracelets?" Frank reached in his pocket and held up the cut bracelets. "Damn! They knew about them?"  
  
"Yeah, I guess so. That one computer I keep locked, you'll need a password." Frank pointed to the computer.  
  
"Well, put it in. I won't look." Sab went to move away from it.  
  
"You can do it. Its Lady Sarah," Frank told her.  
  
"Should have known, it would be the two women in your life." Sab smiled as she typed it in.  
  
"Now I'll have to change it." Frank chuckled.  
  
"Don't trust me? I'm hurt." Sab acted as if she were pouting.  
  
"Get over it. I don't trust Elaina with my passwords at times," Frank said with a smirk.  
  
"Ok, that's information I can use against you at some point," Sab said with a slightly evil grin.  
  
"I thought you were my friend too?"  
  
"You are but there are times when it doesn't hurt to have information to hold against friends to keep them in line."  
  
"You're learning way too much from Elaina. She said that to me once," Frank told her. "I think I'll go check on her." Frank got up to leave.  
  
"Frank, we'll get them back safe and sound. You have the best team in the state helping you," Sab told him.  
  
"Thanks Sabrina." Frank walked out and forced himself not to open the door to the game room. He walked into the living room to see Elaina lying down and Monica was looking through a photo album.  
  
She looked up as Frank walked into the room. "She said I could look through this. I hope you don't mind?" Monica asked as Frank sat on the edge of the couch.  
  
"Just keep it away from me and her," Frank said.  
  
"I'm not asleep. So far it hasn't effected me looking at pictures they're all over the house." Elaina turned over to face him. "I've broke down as a mother. Now, I'll try functioning as an agent to get through this."  
  
"Monica, I'd like to speak to Elaina alone," Frank said.  
  
"I'll go in with Sab." Monica put the album on the shelf as she walked out.  
  
"My turn to be a father," Frank said as the tears came. Elaina sat up and held him. "How can you look at pictures and not break down?"  
  
"I just try not to think about the kidnapping when I look at them. I think of when the picture was taken and how they were then." She sensed he was trying to control his emotions. "Frank, just let the tears come. You'll feel a little better afterward, I did." Elaina held him while she rubbed his back then gave him a light kiss on his face.  
  
"I saw Sarah's toys in the game room and just about lost it then. Sabrina pulled me away and shut the door."  
  
"I'm surprised she hasn't broke down yet. She loves them too," Elaina said as she comforted him.  
  
"I look for all of them to have their moments. We've become too close to them," Frank said.  
  
"You make it sound like a bad thing. I like having them as friends and co- workers. They're always willing to help us as we are them."  
  
"Seems we have more crises for them to help us with though." Frank smiled.  
  
"I know but Sab and Cody had their crisis. We helped a little then. And Jake, I helped his mom, sort of, in finding him."  
  
"Now be honest, if it weren't for your cousin, Cody and Sab wouldn't have had any trouble," Frank said.  
  
"Ok! I know that. Let's change the subject. Don't you think we should be calling our families and telling them?" Elaina asked.  
  
"I don't want to worry them. Can't we keep this to ourselves for now?"  
  
"I'm not sure we should. They should really know just in case.." Elaina didn't finish. "Never mind maybe you're right. It bothers me that the kidnappers knew about the tracking devices in the bracelets."  
  
"If they know us well enough, they know we'd have a way to protect them. They could've detected them with the right equipment," Frank told her.  
  
Jake and Alex come up the drive. Elaina saw them pull up to the house. "Jake and Alex are here. You want me to let them in?"  
  
"I'll go." Frank wiped the tears from his face as he got up to opened the door. He saw Andy arriving too. "Looks like your temporary Boss just got here," Frank told them as they walked in.  
  
Alex went over to Elaina. "Hey, are you doing ok?" Alex took hold of her hand.  
  
"Yeah, I'm doing ok now. Earlier would've been a different answer."  
  
"That's understandable. We didn't find out much. No prints; not even Derek's so they must have wiped it down," Alex said.  
  
"That means there had to be more than two people involved," Elaina stated.  
  
"How do you figure that?" Alex asked as Andy walked in with Frank and Jake.  
  
"They only had 10 minutes maybe less according to Becky. They had to immobilize Derek, probably knocking him out. There had to be one person to get him in the vehicle, one to get Sarah and the car seat out. Then another person to wipe the prints out," Elaina reasoned.  
  
"All this happened in a short time and in a busy parking lot in broad daylight," Frank added.  
  
"Frank, they may have made it look like Derek had called for help. Have Cody check for any tow trucks in the parking lot when he gets any videotape. And any vans that may have circled the lot," Elaina said, still thinking.  
  
"I'll go have Sab tell him," Jake said walking to the office.  
  
"You seem to be pretty good at this profiling thing Elaina," Alex commented.  
  
"I've done my share of kidnapping cases, those are the only times I think like the perp."  
  
"Could be because you're good at kidnapping people yourself," Andy said.  
  
"That's true we've both done that in the past," Frank admitted.  
  
"We all have our specialties." Elaina grinned.  
  
"Cody's on his way over now that, they have the computers linked." Jake came out to tell them as Monica came out too.  
  
"I need to be doing something other than sitting here worrying." Elaina started to get up.  
  
"Elaina can I talk to you about Maria for a few minutes," Jake asked.  
  
"Sure what do you want to know?"  
  
"How is she? She hasn't called me, since she started therapy for her tumor." Jake was concerned.  
  
"She hasn't been feeling well. The medication is making her very weak and her hair has been falling out."  
  
"That sounds like she's having chemo is the tumor cancerous?" Alex asked.  
  
"No, the medication is just having that same reaction. She's very sensitive to medications. They have to give her smaller doses than they wanted, so it's taken so long for them to work. The good news is that the tumor has shrunk enough that they're going to operate soon."  
  
"That's great. Can I be there when she has it?" Jake asked.  
  
"No. She doesn't even want me there. Your Mom is making all the decisions for Maria medically. Maria doesn't want me or herself to have to make them," Elaina informed him.  
  
"Why hasn't Mom told me any of this?" Jake wondered.  
  
"That's what Maria wants. I know that you're concerned for her. But right now you'll just have to be satisfied with what I can tell you about her."  
  
"Will she be back as an agent when she is better?" Monica asked.  
  
"She isn't sure what she wants to do yet or how the surgery will turn out."  
  
"Can you tell me about her family? I asked her once but she didn't want to talk about it," Jake asked trying to keep Elaina's mind of the kids.  
  
"Maria's mother, Jennifer, was a fashion photographer, she traveled around the world. She'd take Maria with her when she could. They had a great relationship. When Jennifer passed it was the start of a very difficult time for her," Elaina explained.  
  
"How did she die?" Alex asked.  
  
"She was in the Philippines when they had a devastating earthquake. The hotel were she was staying was destroyed and they never found her body. Maria was only 8 when it happened. She never really talked to anyone about it then or now."  
  
"Is that why she panicked when the two of you had your accident?" Jake asked.  
  
"Yes. You'd think I would've known better than to even have her come to California after what happened. But she wanted to visit and I couldn't say no to her. I guess I should've drove that day but I thought she needed the practice on a busy highway."  
  
"You didn't know there was going to be an earthquake that day," Frank said to her.  
  
"Duh. Earthquake capitol of the U.S., I think that should've been enough," Elaina argued.  
  
"Why didn't her father take care of her? Why did she live with your parents?" Jake questioned.  
  
"Her father, Paul, was distraught and didn't believe that Jenny was gone. He left Maria at the ranch one-day saying he was going to look for her. To this day we have no idea where he is, either," Elaina explained.  
  
"I can see how Maria could be a little messed up psychologically having been dumped like that by her own father," Monica said, not knowing Sab was standing listening to the conversation.  
  
Sab left the room. "I'm sorry I didn't know she was there," Monica apologized knowing Sab's father didn't want her.  
  
"Excuse me, I have something I just thought of I want to talk to Sabrina about." Elaina left the room to go check on Sab.  
  
"You ok?" Elaina asked, walking in and leaning against the desk.  
  
"What she said isn't true. I was going to be left behind if I hadn't ran away. I don't have any psychological problems," Sab said.  
  
"I wouldn't go too far on that, you have your problems or why else Monica saying that upset you?"  
  
"I wasn't upset. I had just heard the story before and decided to come back in here," Sab said, going over to sit on the couch.  
  
"I wasn't aware that Maria had told anyone that story," Elaina said.  
  
"When she was staying with me, she told me about it. I never told her that what happened to me though. Besides, at least she had a family to take her in. I didn't have anyone until I met Dom and that turned out to be a big mistake."  
  
"Not totally. My mom and Dad believe everything happens for a reason. I think what happened to you was because you were to meet all of us. Which wouldn't have happened if you hadn't been with Dom. You have a terrific family now, that cares about you," Elaina told her, sitting down next to her.  
  
"I know but it's more like a bunch of sisters and brothers, not a Mom and Dad type of family."  
  
"Have you tried to find your real mother?"  
  
"What good will it do? I'm an adult now. I don't need a mother. I have you and Allison to talk to."  
  
"I feel honored that you feel that way. But I think maybe you should ask Jake how it feels to have a Mother after all this time."  
  
The doorbell rang. "That's probably Cody," Elaina told her.  
  
"I better get back to work, if we're going to find out what exactly happened," Sab said, going back to the computers.  
  
"Hi, Elaina. How are you holding up?" Cody asked as he saw her sitting in the office.  
  
"I'm holding on to my belief that we'll have them home by morning."  
  
"I believe that too. I have video from the parking area and a couple of ATM's that were in the area." Cody said sitting down to the computers with Sab.  
  
Sab gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I guess I'm in trouble now, seeing how we're working."  
  
"Why would you be in trouble? I didn't see anything, did you do something I should know about?" Elaina asked, smiling at them.  
  
"Nope. I was just talking to myself just ignore me." Sab giggled. "I miss Sarah's giggles." Sab looked up after she said it worried she had upset Elaina. "Sorry. Please ignore me, my mouth is out of control."  
  
"I'm not going to fall apart every time someone mentions their names. If you want to talk about them go ahead. I'll be fine. I just want you both to know, if you want to break down, go ahead, have a moment and do it. I don't expect any of you to seal off your emotions from this. Frank and I thought we could but it doesn't work when it's someone you love," Elaina told them. "I'll leave you two to your work." 


	3. Tempers start to Flair

About an hour later Cody came out to talk to Frank and Elaina who were sitting in the kitchen alone. "We're having some problems," Cody confessed.  
  
"What kind of problems?" Frank inquired.  
  
"The picture of a van going by the ATM was blurred and my software just won't clear it up enough to make an ID from the picture." Cody handed him the picture.  
  
"I've seen you do better work than this. Why can't you do it now?" Frank yelled.  
  
"I've tried to do better. The picture was too blurred to begin with," Cody yelled back.  
  
"Hey! Both of you, calm down. Yelling isn't helping anyone," Elaina said. "Cody, did you ever receive the software program from NASA that you wanted?"  
  
"No, they turned me down," Cody replied, sitting down.  
  
"I'll go see what I can do." Elaina walked to the office. "Hey Sab! I need you to step away from the computers for a few seconds. I have some high level ass chewing to do and you can't witness it." Elaina walked behind the desk and sat down after Sab moved to the couch.  
  
"I can stay in the room, can't I?" Sab asked, being curious as to what she was doing.  
  
"Sure. I just didn't want you seeing my security clearance ID, Frank doesn't even know it."  
  
"Good, more info to use against someone," Sab said, quietly.  
  
"What did you say?" Elaina looked at her.  
  
"I said I hope you get good info with what your doing."  
  
"Yeah, I thought that was what you said." Elaina went back to typing. When she was finished she looked back at Sab. "What's on your mind you look deep in thought."  
  
"I was just wondering what it would be like when Cody and I have kids. Will we have to go through this?"  
  
"God, I hope not. I don't even want to be going through it, let alone someone I know." She walked over to sit with Sab.  
  
"How can you not be emotional during this? You've held your self together better than I think I have," Sab admitted.  
  
"I take it you have been breaking down away from us, so it doesn't bother me or Frank?"  
  
"Yeah I just." Sab had tears streaming down again. "Sorry."  
  
"Don't be sorry. You love Derek and Sarah too. I told you, I don't expect you to be anti-emotional around here. Just have your little breakdowns. I keep having them and so does Frank. I bet if I were to go talk to Alex, and the others they'd say they've broke down too."  
  
"Does it bother you, in any way, that I've gotten so close to Sarah?"  
  
"That's an odd question. Why would you ask me that?"  
  
"I just feel as if I'm interfering sometimes. When I come over to go riding, I always end up with Sarah."  
  
"You don't plan on stealing her from us do you?" Elaina asked, jokingly.  
  
"Of course not." She leaned her head on Elaina's shoulder.  
  
"Frank and I don't mind. Sarah loves it when you visit you're her best friend. She loves it, when you sign to her she thinks that only the two of you know what's being said. She even told me once and this is a quote: 'Tis pivate just me and Sabeana know it' unquote." Elaina laughed.  
  
"Will she ever say my name right?" Sab laughed too.  
  
"I don't know I think you'll have to wait and see." The computer gave an email alert. "Just a minute that should be the answer I'm waiting on." Elaina went to the computer and read the email. "Yes! Now, we may get somewhere." Elaina typed more and then went back to sit with Sab.  
  
"I guess, Sabeana, will just be added to my list of nicknames. How did you get all your nicknames?" Sab wondered.  
  
"Well, let's see. Lainie came from Miranda not liking the name Elaina and it just stuck with me. I'm rarely called Elaina by Maria or Miranda."  
  
"Reese calls you Sis more that Lainie or Elaina."  
  
"Yeah, I call him Brother a lot because of it too."  
  
"I think Lainie makes you sound more down to earth, Elaina seems so formal."  
  
"Snobbish you mean?" Elaina and Sab both giggled.  
  
"No. I don't think that never mind. Frank calls you Lady more than Elaina, unless he's mad at you."  
  
"If he's really mad at me he calls me E. There are times when he isn't mad, he'll call me Elaina. Especially if others are around."  
  
"Or Agent Blakely, if you are at HQ," Sab added.  
  
"That's when we're trying to be professional or ticked off at one another at work," Elaina explained. "So what nicknames does Cody have for you?"  
  
"He usually calls me Sab and uses Sabrina when he's being kind, loving.well you know. And then there are the times he calls me Angel. I really like that one."  
  
"I can tell you why you like it. It makes you feel special, you get tingly all over, and you feel like you could just melt into his arms. Am I right?"  
  
"Yep, you must feel that way when Frank calls you Lady."  
  
"Definitely." That computer beeped and Elaina went over to it.  
  
"About time, go tell Cody to come back and get to work," Elaina ordered.  
  
Cody came back in with Sab and Frank followed. "Your imaging software is now in the computer and ready to go."  
  
"How did you manage that?" Cody started to look at the software in the computer.  
  
"Don't ask, she has many friends in high places," Frank told him.  
  
"Thanks, this should get the job done," Cody said as he went to work. 


	4. The proof

At noon the phone rang. Frank walked over to answer it, trying to remain calm. "This is Donovan."  
  
"Don't say anything just listen." The voice was distorted. "We want 6 million half in unmarked bills and the other half in bonds. We will send you proof we have your children within the hour. We will call back in an hour." The caller hung up.  
  
"Cody?"  
  
"Nothing sorry, couldn't get a fix on them."  
  
"Odd request wonder why they only want half in cash?" Elaina said.  
  
"They must have their reasons," Alex said wondering her self why.  
  
"Cody, how are you doing on that picture?" Elaina asked.  
  
"I have it clearer and I've figured out the year and color I'm checking for registration with that info but the list will be a long one."  
  
"Hopefully, we can narrow it down fast," Sab said.  
  
"Frank, can we talk in the living room please?" Elaina said then walked out. Frank followed her.  
  
"What's wrong?" Frank asked her.  
  
"I need to fall apart again." Elaina started to cry again as he held.  
  
"Let's sit down and I'll hold you a while." Frank led her over to the couch and they sat down.  
  
"You falling again, too?" Elaina brushed tears from his face.  
  
"A little," Frank admitted. They sat together in silence; Elaina fell asleep which he was grateful for. A few minutes later the doorbell rang, waking her. Frank went to answer the door as everyone came out of the office.  
  
"Are you Frank Donovan?" Frank acknowledged and the messenger gave Frank an envelope.  
  
"Come in we have some questions we'd like to ask you," Andy said, standing by Frank.  
  
"Alex, Jake, see what he knows about this," Frank ordered.  
  
"Open it up. I want to see this proof," Elaina insisted.  
  
Frank examined the envelope for markings, and then opened it to find still photos of Derek and Sarah.  
  
"This isn't good enough. I want to see other proof they're still alive. We don't know if they killed them after they took these or not," Elaina insisted.  
  
"Elaina, why would you say that? We have no reason to believe they're that violent," Monica said.  
  
"I've done more kidnapping cases than any of you, including Frank. I know what can happen," Elaina told them.  
  
"She's right we'll need more proof. I plan on insisting during the next call," Frank said.  
  
*****  
  
They waited for the next call Frank answered and gave his demand of more proof. The caller never got a chance to speak before Frank hung up on him.  
  
"Are you sure you should've done that? What if they do something to the kids because of it?" Alex asked.  
  
"They won't hurt them now, if they haven't already. They have to know us personally to know we'd have access to that kind of money. They want the money more than anything. Are you getting anywhere with cleaning the voice up?" Elaina asked.  
  
"Still working on it," Cody replied.  
  
"Work a little harder," Frank said, sternly.  
  
"Listen, we're doing the best we can. We're trying to ID the van and the voice, plus trace the call. If you think you can do better, sit down here and try," Cody yelled at Frank and Sab kept trying to stop him.  
  
"You better change your attitude, if you don't want me to change it for you," Frank warned him.  
  
"You'd love that. You've put me down every chance you get, usually in front of the others. I don't like it and I don't have to take it any longer." Cody got up to leave.  
  
"Where the hell do you think you're going?" Frank asked, very angry.  
  
"Away from here. You can do my job and see how easy it is, Agent Donovan."  
  
"Sit back down and get to work." Frank stood face to face with him, trying to intimidate him.  
  
"Stop it Cody. Do as he says," Sab said, trying to stop the argument  
  
"Cody, go outside and cool off, Sab you keep working. Frank, get the hell out of here and leave everyone alone," Elaina said as she followed Cody out.  
  
"Cody, I don't mind you finally breaking down from all this. I just hope in the future you don't talk like that to Frank. He'll retaliate and I don't want that to happen. If the pressure gets to be too much just say so and leave the room."  
  
"I'll try. I'm really sorry for yelling at him like that. I know that he's stressed more than me. I promise it won't happen again," Cody told her leaning against the wall.  
  
"I bet that you're talking about that yelling part, because odds are you'll lose it again, because of the kids. You're close to them, too. Sab told me she's been upset. I can tell you right now I'll break down a few more times too."  
  
*********  
  
Within the hour they had another delivery made to the door. Frank was surprised to see the same messenger. He handed Frank the box and talked to Alex and Jake again.  
  
"Open it up, see what it is." Elaina was anxious and made a grab for it but Frank didn't let her have it.  
  
He opened the box and found a videotape in it. He took it to the office, so the team could see it too. The voice of the caller was heard first. "Stick to what we wrote."  
  
The video showed Derek sitting bound in a chair. The camera then showed Sarah being held by a masked person. Derek began to speak as the camera came back to focus on him.  
  
"Mom, Frank. Please, do as they say, they keep threatening Sarah if I don't cooperate with them. You know what will happen if you don't do as they say. Give them what they want, so we can come home. They won't let me hold Sarah, she's scared."  
  
"Stick to what we wrote," the caller's voice said to Derek.  
  
"They want you to have Sonny Walker deliver the ransom. I don't know why." Derek looked in horror as Sarah screamed. The camera showed that the person had a knife to Sarah's throat.  
  
"Stick to what we wrote," He was warned again.  
  
Elaina left the room. She heard Derek trying to calm Sarah before the door closed behind her. Andy shut the tape off as Frank went to find Elaina. He heard her in the kitchen, cursing.  
  
"How dare they do that to our little girl. I'm going to kill those bastards with my bare hands!" Elaina screamed at Frank.  
  
"Not if I get my hands on them first. I promise you, they'll pay for what they're doing to them and us." Frank tried to hold her but she pulled away from him.  
  
"I'm too angry right now just let me be." Elaina stood and stared out the kitchen windows.  
  
"I understand." Frank sat down at the table and put his head in his hands.  
  
**********  
  
Andy played the tape for the others to watch and gather any clues from it, if they could. Monica watched Derek closely and listened to the voices, and then she went to see Frank and Elaina.  
  
"Excuse me but I have a question," Monica said.  
  
"Go ahead," Elaina said, sitting down with Frank.  
  
"Do you think that Derek called you Frank, instead of Dad, because they had it written that way or on his own?"  
  
"It might've been written but he also did it as something we prearranged. To tell us they're ok but scared and he's cooperating with them," Frank told her. "When he said 'I don't know why' that was to tell us he didn't know the kidnappers."  
  
"I also noticed that the person holding Sarah was a woman," Monica added.  
  
"The warning to Derek was a recording, each time it was the same tone and the same words," Elaina said.  
  
"I realized that, I wonder why the person recorded it?" Monica asked.  
  
"Maybe the person behind the camera wasn't the caller," Elaina suggested.  
  
"Have the sound taken apart for background noises. I want to know everything there is to know about that tape," Frank ordered.  
  
"They must know Sonny or why else would they want him to deliver the ransom. They must also know that one of us knows where he is," Elaina reasoned.  
  
"Have Jake go after Sonny and bring him here," Frank said.  
  
"Andy has already told him where to find him," Monica said as Elaina motioned for her to leave.  
  
"Hey Love. Lets go brush the horses? Derek normally does it." her voice trailed off. "So what do you say? Let's go get our minds on something else for a few minutes."  
  
"I guess we could." Frank walked out with her.  
  
******* 


	5. Taking A break

"How are they holding up?" Andy asked as Monica entered the office.  
  
"Elaina seems to be handling it ok, right now. Frank is quiet but when he talks, you can hear his frustration and anger," Monica informed them.  
  
"Cody and Sab are analyzing the videotape," Andy told her.  
  
"Good, Frank wants everything on it examined," Monica replied.  
  
They heard the horses and looked out to see Frank and Elaina walking out to the stables. The horses came running up from the pasture to them.  
  
"Come on, any of you want brushed?" Elaina called to them. They all went into their stalls without any trouble. "I guess they all do or they're expecting a treat."  
  
Velvet walked behind Frank until he reached her stall, he pointed her in and she obeyed by going in. When he closed the door she came back over to him to nuzzle him as he scratched her neck.  
  
"You know something is up, don't you girl?" Frank said to Velvet.  
  
"They all sense it. Look at Zeus." Derek's horse was watching the door waiting for Derek to come out. Elaina walked over to him. "He's not coming out today Zeus. You have to let us take care of you." Elaina started to cry again. She walked over to Sahara's stall and fell to the floor crying, uncontrollably.  
  
Frank went over and held her. He couldn't keep his emotions from surfacing too. "I wish I could take away the pain but I can't. We need to work through this as much as we can somehow. Being out of control as I was earlier and now, isn't going to help Derek and Sarah."  
  
"I know it won't help. I do agree, you were way out of line yelling at Cody. We can't help it if our emotions are so screwed up. Right now, I can only think as a mother."  
  
"I know I said we should try to be both parent and agent. You can be who you want and I'll try to be both."  
  
"You keep saying that but so far you can't do both. You have acted more like a father than I have a mother. I really need you more as my husband, than I do as Agent Donovan, so please just be my husband," Elaina said as Frank kissed her.  
  
"Did that help any?" Frank said after the kiss.  
  
"A little. We better do what we came out here for," Elaina said, getting up.  
  
"Wait a minute." Frank kissed her again. This time Elaina wouldn't let go of him sensing he needed her.  
  
"Did that help you any?" Elaina said, after she broke the kiss.  
  
"Actually, it did," Frank said as he went to get the brushes.  
  
****** When they returned to the office they found that Jake had Sonny there. "Sorry we took so long, the horses weren't cooperating with us too much," Elaina fibbed not wanting them to know they both were having trouble coping.  
  
"Sonny, thank you for coming," Frank said shaking his hand.  
  
"When Jake told me what was going on, I thought he was joking. I didn't know you were even married. I never would've guest he was married to you, Agent Blakely." Sonny said, turning to her.  
  
"I keep my maiden name on the job. Frank never wanted anyone knowing, not even his team that he was married but I blew that last summer." Elaina laughed.  
  
"Jake said something about that on the way here. We had talked before but he never mentioned the two of you together."  
  
"That was by our request at first. We just wanted certain people to know that we were married and then eventually we decided, what the hell, why hide it." Elaina smiled.  
  
"Donovan, you just don't seem the type to want people to know you too well. I thought you were more private," Sonny said to Frank.  
  
"It became very difficult to keep her hidden when she became my boss," Frank answered.  
  
"He's changed lately," Elaina said.  
  
"She forced me too," Frank joked, playfully punching her arm.  
  
"Hey, watch it, Mr. Donovan or Mrs. Donovan, will kick your ass," Elaina teased.  
  
"Oh boy! Here we go again," Sab said behind Elaina.  
  
"Did you say something again, Agent Kells?" Frank asked.  
  
"No sir. I was just talking to the computer." Sab smiled.  
  
"Sonny, you don't have to do this if you don't want to," Frank told him.  
  
"I'll do it. I want to help; I like kids. I don't want to see anything happen to yours because of me."  
  
"Thank you, Sonny," Elaina said, with a smile.  
  
******  
  
The phone rang and it caused Elaina to jump. Frank went over to answer it. "Donovan."  
  
"You have 3 hours to get the ransom together or your children will pay for your not cooperating," the kidnapper said.  
  
"We'll have it. I want to talk to my children," Frank insisted.  
  
"Three hours," the caller repeated and hung up.  
  
Frank looked over to Elaina who was holding Sab. Sab was crying as Cody tried to comfort her, whispering in her ear.  
  
"I'll tell the bank manager we're ready for the ransom and to bring it here. I called him earlier to have it ready," Frank told Elaina.  
  
"You realize they aren't going to let them loose after we pay," Elaina said, getting up to let Cody hold Sabrina.  
  
"Don't say that! They have to. I refuse to believe, that they would hurt Derek or little Sarah." Sab was almost yelling.  
  
"I don't want to believe it either but we have to deal with what we know. Most kidnappers don't let them go," Elaina stated.  
  
"We're doing everything we can to find them and bring them home safe," Alex said.  
  
"Sab, why don't you go lay down upstairs," Cody suggested.  
  
"No! I want to help you. I'll be fine," Sab said.  
  
"Cody is right you need to take a break," Frank said.  
  
"Ok. I'll just go for a walk outside and clear my head," Sab conceded.  
  
"Mind if I walk with you?" Jake asked. "I could use the fresh air."  
  
"Free country. I won't be very good company," Sab said putting on her jacket.  
  
"Good company or not, I don't want anyone wandering around alone right now. I don't trust anyone being alone," Elaina said, sadly.  
  
"I know how to defend myself," Sab stated.  
  
"So did Derek," Elaina said.  
  
"Oh. ok let's go," Sab said, leaving the office with Jake.  
  
Cody watched them leave together. "Thanks, Elaina. I didn't want her out alone but you could've asked Monica or Alex to go."  
  
"The right person went Cody, there's a reason for doing it this way," Elaina told him.  
  
"If you say so." Cody went back to work.  
  
Sab walked out to the cars and sat on one of them. "That's Frank's car don't dent it," Jake kidded her.  
  
"If I feel like denting something, I'll punch you, how's that?"  
  
"I've seen you hit someone before, so I'll try to be ready for you."  
  
"Why are you really out here with me?" Sab was suspicious.  
  
"Elaina said we should talk," Jake confessed.  
  
"Thought so. She thinks I should look for my real mother, but I don't see why I should. Allison and Elaina have helped me more than she ever could."  
  
"But neither one of them are your real Mom. I know my mom was your guardian at one time."  
  
"She told you about that?"  
  
"It slipped out one day, I told her I wouldn't say anything to anyone. I never thought I needed a mom either until I met Allison. It seems I can talk to her about anything and she never hesitates to tell me what she thinks, if I do something wrong."  
  
"I think part of that may be her training more than being a Mom," Sab said, being a little skeptic.  
  
"It's hard to explain but having a mom has changed me a little. I really love having her here and being able to talk to her and see her," Jake explained.  
  
"Allison said you had reservations about her at first, you thought she wasn't your Mom. How did you feel the moment you found out she was?"  
  
"I was stunned, I didn't believe it. I had to read the DNA test over and over until it sunk in. I actually cried, but I'll deny it if you tell anyone," Jake told her.  
  
"Here I thought you were a tough guy," Sab joked.  
  
"I've been asking her questions ever since then. I've learned a lot about her and her family, my family," Jake corrected himself.  
  
"What if I find my Mom and she doesn't want me? I don't need rejection," Sad said to him.  
  
"That's a risk you'll be taking, but you could find out that she's been looking for you too."  
  
"It's that risk, I'm not sure I'm willing to take," Sab said as Sonny walked out lighting a cigarette.  
  
"Am I interrupting anything kid?" Sonny asked.  
  
"No, we were just talking about my Mom," Jake answered.  
  
"Why isn't she here?" Sab wondered.  
  
"She's away at a conference, she'll be back tomorrow."  
  
"Either way this goes, I think Elaina, maybe the whole family, will need her," Sab said, sadly.  
  
"Derek is smart, he'll protect himself and Sarah as best he can," Jake told her.  
  
"You're right Derek is smart and resourceful. I wonder..excuse me I just thought of something." Sab went back to the house.  
  
"She's a pretty lady, reminds me of someone. You two ever?" Sonny asked Jake.  
  
"Sabrina? No, she's Cody's girl. She's a good friend of Mom's," Jake informed him.  
  
"Sorry, I've been out of the loop lately."  
  
"Where have you been the past few months?"  
  
"Still giving testimony on a few cases and hiding out," Sonny explained.  
  
"Well, I wish we could talk sometime without being under the gun so to speak," Jake told him.  
  
"That would be good. You blew me away when you told me Donovan had a family, he just didn't seem the type. He seemed more of a loner."  
  
"We were all kind of surprised when we found out, and that he also had kids. It was really strange, like he was two different people."  
  
"Never would've guessed Blakely as his wife either. She's a hell of a woman from my meetings with her."  
  
"When did you two meet?"  
  
"We met after she took over for Bloom. She told me she'd be in charge of my case and she set up my protection, the living arrangements, the whole lot. She's very different in there from the agent I first met."  
  
"Right now you're seeing her parent side. She goes back and forth, like a split personality. She's a very good agent and a great friend but never make her angry, she'll be your worse enemy."  
  
"I can just imagine."  
  
*******  
  
When Sab went in she went over to the coffee table and found the pictures the kidnappers had sent first. Elaina was lying on the couch. She noticed Sab staring at the pictures.  
  
"Sab, what are you doing?" Elaina said, startling her.  
  
"I thought you were asleep. Derek couldn't hold Sarah right?"  
  
"Yeah so?" Elaina sat up on the couch.  
  
"He's holding her in the pictures."  
  
"He probably meant during the video," Elaina suggested, walking over to look over Sab's shoulder.  
  
"Or he wanted you to look at the pictures closer. Look at Sarah in these pictures." Sab handed her the pictures.  
  
Elaina studied the pictures. "Frank! Will you come in here?" Elaina yelled.  
  
Frank came out of the office with Andy. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Look at these pictures. Sarah's hands and Derek's too." Elaina handed him the pictures.  
  
"Sarah could be signing train there and that I'm not sure of." Sab pointed.  
  
"Church. Derek is signing S in the same picture. He's signing C in the one with Sarah signing train," Frank said.  
  
"In this one Sarah is signing hotel, but she also used that one for apartment, she gets them mixed up sometimes," Sab replied.  
  
"How did you know that?" Frank asked.  
  
"She told me about staying at the apartment but she signed hotel. I tried to show her the right sign but I don't know if she's doing it, in that picture."  
  
"You know more about her signing than we do," Elaina told her. Sab smiled and shrugged her shoulders.  
  
"S and the C? What is he trying to tell us?" Frank wondered.  
  
"A church that begins with an S or a street they're on. The C must be connected with the train sign," Sab suggested.  
  
"Conrail tracks or Canadian Pacific tracks," Elaina said. "And the church could be Saint Paul or Saint Patrick."  
  
"Let's go find out which one is next to the train tracks." They all walked into the office.  
  
"Where are Monica and Alex?" Elaina asked as she walked in.  
  
"They're using the phone line upstairs with the laptops to check the different van registrations," Andy said.  
  
"Cody, Sab noticed some clues in the pictures. The two of you try to figure out a location using them. And Sab there are a few reflections in those pictures use the imagining software and see if you can see what they are. It might help or it might be a waste of time but you never know," Elaina told them.  
  
"Why don't you ask us to shoot ourselves, it would be a request that was easy?" Cody was stressed again.  
  
"Cody, take a break that's an order," Andy said.  
  
"I'm fine," Cody said, not moving.  
  
"He said it was an order so move," Frank said, angrily.  
  
"Go on, Cody, I'll help Sab," Andy told him.  
  
"I have way too many bosses here," Cody said, quietly as he left.  
  
"He's doing the best he can, as fast as he can," Sab stated.  
  
"I know, that's why he needs another break. He's trying too hard and stressing out," Frank said and left the office.  
  
"He didn't get a chance to tell you, he has the voice finished," Andy played the tape for Elaina.  
  
Elaina listened to the tape over and over. "I know I have heard that voice before. I just don't know where or when. I'll go get Sonny maybe he can recognize it. If they know him, he must've known them." Elaina left but didn't come back in with Sonny and Jake.  
  
"Elaina said you had a tape for Sonny to listen to," Jake said. Andy played the tape for them.  
  
"Got any headphones, so I can listen to it better?" Sonny asked. Sab gave him the headset and he sat down and kept playing it. 


	6. Surprising ID's

Jake came out into the living room with Frank and Elaina. "Where's Cody?"  
  
"In the kitchen taking a break, there's food in there, if you're hungry."  
  
"Nah. I'm not hungry yet," Jake said. "I wish my Mom was here, maybe she could've kept us together better."  
  
"Sounds like you have or are about to break now," Elaina observed how Jake was acting.  
  
"I had a small meltdown outside. I was telling Sonny how, Derek and I, went to church together during your surgery and after the plane crash."  
  
"I never knew that," Elaina said.  
  
"Yeah, we did that. We've played basketball with the kids there, too a few times."  
  
"Seems Derek as made a friend in you," Frank said.  
  
"He's a great kid. We haven't talked much since about a week after his birthday party. I don't know why," Jake said.  
  
"Did you two get in a fight about something?" Frank asked.  
  
"No, he just asked me about something. I told him he shouldn't be thinking about it at this time in his life."  
  
"My son asked you about sex didn't he?" Elaina laughed, seeing Jake blush.  
  
"How did you guess?" Jake wondered.  
  
"Because a few weeks ago, Sab and Cody found him and Becky in a compromising position," Frank told him.  
  
"How did you two find out?"  
  
"Sab forced Derek into telling us," Elaina told him. "I'm going to see if Sonny is doing any good with that voice." Elaina went back and talked to Sonny. "Has a name come to you yet?"  
  
"The voice is familiar. I keep getting the name Mac in my mind but I don't know if it was the person's nickname or what."  
  
"Let me listen to it again." Elaina put the headphones on as Cody, Jake and Frank came back in.  
  
"I see she has gone into Agent Blakely mode again," Andy said, smiling.  
  
"Hope it last a while this time, she needs to stop worrying," Jake said.  
  
"She'll stay like that for a while and then Mom will kick back in," Andy said.  
  
"Do you all talk about the two of us like this all the time?" Frank asked.  
  
"We're only making observations," Jake answered.  
  
"I remember this guy now," Elaina said, suddenly. "He used to be an agent. He was one of Bloom's people that I fired. He was taking money and drugs during raids. His case was thrown out because of lack of evidence when they tried to prosecute him. His name is Darrel McMillan."  
  
"How was it a lack of evidence?" Jake asked.  
  
"The evidence was stolen," Elaina sighed, feeling very tired at the moment.  
  
"She's right about the voice. I just couldn't think of the name," Sonny said.  
  
"You were on the right track with the nickname," Elaina said to Sonny.  
  
"Cody, Sab we need.." Frank started to say.  
  
"Everything we can get on Darrel McMillan," Cody said. "I'm already on it."  
  
"Elaina, can I ask you a question?" Andy asked.  
  
"Sure what is it?"  
  
"If I'm in charge, why do you and Frank keep coming in here and giving out orders? Don't you trust me?"  
  
"Force of habit I guess. I do trust you. We'll get out and let you boss them around," Elaina said.  
  
"I am not running you out, it's just that you wanted less stress and pressure for you and Frank. Yet you keep putting yourselves in that position."  
  
"I know Andy. We just have to play Fed occasionally to keep from going insane," Elaina admitted.  
  
"I won't stop you then. Just remember, when this all comes to the moment of the ransom drop, I'll be the only one giving orders." Andy was very serious.  
  
"I understand but you may have some trouble with Frank on that one," Elaina whispered.  
  
Cody and Sab found out that McMillan had a girlfriend and had been doing private investigator work since he was fired. They checked his known cover names and one matched to a van registration. The address for his girlfriend was also near the location they had narrowed down from the clues in the pictures.  
  
******  
  
"Andy, I think everyone could use a break including you," Elaina suggested.  
  
"I guess we do have a while before they call again," Andy said, looking at his watch.  
  
"I'm going out to feed the horses. Is that ok with you, Elaina?" Sab saw her shake her head yes, while she was still talking to Andy. "Cody, are you coming?"  
  
"No, I have something I want to do here," Cody answered.  
  
"Were supposed to be taking a break." Sab walked over to see what he was doing.  
  
"It's nothing to do with work. I'm emailing Mom and Dad."  
  
"This has you thinking about family too?" Sab gave him a kiss on the cheek.  
  
"Yeah,, so go on out. I promise not to work." Cody returned her kiss.  
  
"Okie dokie."  
  
"Sonny, want to go out? I'd like to see my horse," Jake said.  
  
"Your horse?" Sonny asked.  
  
"Yeah, come on out," Jake told Sonny.  
  
Sab headed for the haystack to feed the horses to keep her mind busy as Jake walked with Sonny out to the fence to show him the horses.  
  
"Hey Sab! Have you seen Dante anywhere? I want Sonny to see him?" Jake asked.  
  
Sab looked out into the field and pointed to the far west corner. "By the apple tree. He's likes to scratch on it."  
  
"Thanks. Come on, Sonny, he should come when I whistle." Jake gave a loud whistle and his horse came running.  
  
"Smart horse," Sonny said.  
  
"Elaina and Derek taught them and then they taught us the different commands for them," Jake informed him.  
  
"Federal agent and horse trainer. She's a very impressive lady," Sonny told Jake.  
  
"Yeah she is," Jake said as he patted Dante. Sab walked over to the three with a square of hay. "You have to watch him this summer. He'll fill up on those apples," Sab said, feeding Dante a handful of hay.  
  
"Hey Sab, I've been meaning to ask, when are you going to get married?" Jake asked.  
  
"You and tech head are getting married? Sonny asked  
  
"Don't call him tech head. And yes we're getting married," Sab replied.  
  
"Sorry if I offended you. I just couldn't remember his name." Sonny apologized.  
  
"It's ok." Sab replied. "We still haven't decided on a date yet. We've been to busy with everything. I think we're just waiting for things to settle down again. I mean Elaina and Frank just had theirs and their honeymoon. A few months ago."  
  
"Frank and Elaina just got married and they have a son and daughter?" Sonny was surprised.  
  
"Frank and Elaina got remarried. Derek isn't Frank's real son, but Sarah is his."  
  
"I see, who was Derek's Father?" Sonny asked.  
  
"Elaina was married to someone before Frank but he turned into a real jerk. He's in prison for bank robbery," Jake told him.  
  
" Well I'm going to go feed Gambit," Sab said, walking back to the stables.  
  
"I wish I could think of who she reminds me of," Sonny said, watching Sab with her horse.  
  
"What about her, makes you think of someone else?" Jake asked, turning from his horse to see Sonny watching Sab.  
  
"Just the way her eyes look and the way she smirks at times," Sonny replied  
  
Jake looked at Sab. "She does have soft eyes. It's probably from all she's been through."  
  
"What do you mean? She seems to be pretty normal to me," Sonny said, still staring at her.  
  
"She's good at keeping it all in, but she has been through a lot. Abusive parents, well her father and stepmother. She ran away very young and joined a hacker group. Had an obsessive boyfriend who tried to kill her and Cody a few months back, not to mention what Cody's ex put her through." Jake explained. "And that's only the tip of the iceberg."  
  
"I guess she has been through a lot. Didn't you tell me earlier, you were dating Cody's ex girlfriend? She's also a cousin to Elaina?" Sonny asked.  
  
"I was. well. I still am sort of. We're working through some things," Jake said.  
  
"Gambit!" Sab laughed out loud as he put his muzzle into her pocket looking for the hidden sugar cubes.  
  
Jake and Sonny walked over to Sab, laughing at her. "Didn't Elaina warn you about doing that? Your lucky if you have a pocket left when he gets done," Jake said.  
  
"Well, I like spoiling my horse," Sab replied, smiling as she pulled the sugar cube out of her pocket for Gambit. She held it out for him to take. "I'll bring you carrots, later."  
  
"Why do all of you have horses here? Sonny questioned.  
  
"They were gifts to us last summer," Jake answered him.  
  
"Yep and we love them so much," Sab said giving Gambit a kiss on his head. She turned to look at Sonny. "You like horses?"  
  
"I like them. I use to ride but I haven't in a while. Whose the Arabian belong too?" Sonny pointed in the direction of Zeus who was watching the house.  
  
"That one's Derek's," Sab said, in a saddened voice as she turned to see the animal.  
  
"The other Arabian is Frank's, no one rides her other than him," Jake said, pointing to the horse by the gate. "She's a one man horse. We can prove it but we'd get in trouble," Jake said. "Sab, think they'd see the joke if we turned Velvet loose to find Frank?" Jake laughed.  
  
"I don't think this is a good time for that Jake." Sab gave him a disapproving look.  
  
"You're no fun. I think they could use the laugh myself," Jake said.  
  
"Better listen to her kid. They're on a fine line with their nerves," Sonny told him.  
  
"Alright, alright. Well I'm going to head back into the house to warm up. You two coming?" Jake asked  
  
"No, I'm going to stay out here longer," Sab replied.  
  
"I think I'll stick around out here too, if that is ok with you Sab?" Sonny asked.  
  
"It's fine," Sab replied as she climbed onto the fence to sit down.  
  
"Alright, See you two later," Jake said as he walked back to the house.  
  
"Do you mind if I call you, Sabrina? Sab just doesn't sound right for you," Sonny asked.  
  
"Sabrina is my real name, everyone just calls me Sab for short."  
  
"Well, I prefer to call you, Sabrina. Jake said you've led a rough life. I'm sorry to hear that about a pretty lady."  
  
"Well, everyone's got to lead their own lives. Mine just had to be rough," Sab replied. "But it turned out ok."  
  
"Glad to hear it. Jake said you had a stepmother. What happened to your real mother?"  
  
"I'm not really sure. I was too young to remember her," Sab replied. "My father took me away from her and married someone else. Only thing I can remember is my father and stepmother not wanting me."  
  
"You mean the bastard took you from a loving mother and then didn't want you? What's his name? I'll have a hit put out on him for you," Sonny said, only half joking.  
  
"He's dead already," Sab replied.  
  
"Too bad. I'm curious what was his name?"  
  
"Logan Dalton," Sab answered, turning back to Gambit.  
  
"You're joking right? I knew a Logan Dalton. I wonder if it's the same guy?"  
  
"I'm not joking. How do you know him?" Sab asked, turning back to Sonny, surprised.  
  
"He was a member of my crew, once then he married my sister. She and I never got along very well," Sonny said, leaning against the fence.  
  
"What did this Logan look like?" Sab asked, wondering if it could be the same one.  
  
"I guess he would've been in his forty's now. He had brown hair and eyes, my height, the last time I saw him he was about my weight."  
  
"Oh my God," Sab replied as she almost fell off the fence.  
  
"Are you ok Sabrina?" Sonny asked, catching her.  
  
"You just described my father," Sab replied, in shock.  
  
"You mean. my sister, is your mother?" Sonny was just as shocked.  
  
"I guess it would be." Sab tried to believe what he said.  
  
"Do you know if he was married more than twice? Maybe he married someone after my sister?"  
  
"I'm not sure. I was born in 1980. When did she get married?"  
  
"About that time," he said, trying to remember exactly.  
  
"So, that would make you my..." Sab couldn't get the words out.  
  
"Uncle. This is a little weird for me. Is it to you?" Sonny asked.  
  
"Sabrina, there you are. Cody needs you right now," Elaina said, coming out to them.  
  
"Little more then weird," Sab replied.  
  
"What is weird?" Elaina asked walking up to them. She sees that Sonny's hands are still on Sab. "Why are you holding her?"  
  
"She almost fell off the fence," Sonny answered, moving his hands.  
  
"Why would you almost fall off the fence?" Elaina asked as Sonny stepped away from Sab.  
  
"She was playing around with her horse and he nudged her too hard," Sonny said.  
  
Elaina looked to Sab who was still pale in the face. "Yeah, I had sugar cubes in my pocket that Gambit wanted."  
  
Elaina walked over to her. "What is really going on here, you look pale and upset," Elaina whispered.  
  
Sab looked at Elaina then to Sonny. "He's my uncle," Sab replied, quietly.  
  
"He's your what?" Elaina was confused as she looked from Sab to Sonny.  
  
"We were talking and it turns out Sabrina's father married my sister. Then a few years after she was born, he took her away from my sister," Sonny explained as Sab was still in shock.  
  
"Well, this is definitely a surprise. Listen, Cody really needs you inside. You two can talk about this later." Elaina urged her to leave. "I'd like to find out more too but my mind is on other things right now."  
  
"Yeah...right. I'm on it." Sab replied as she snapped out of it to hop off the fence. She walked toward the house glancing back once still trying to believe what she had found out.  
  
"Sonny, tell me about your sister," Elaina said, after Sab went into the house.  
  
"Thought you didn't want to talk about it," Sonny said.  
  
"I didn't want to talk about it with Sabrina," Elaina told him.  
  
"I didn't get along with her. Even though she married a man from my crew, we still never talked much."  
  
"When was the last time you talked to her?"  
  
"She was still pregnant, so about twenty some years ago," Sonny guessed.  
  
"That's a long time, not to talk to someone, especially family," Elaina said to him.  
  
"That's the way we wanted it."  
  
"You, Logan or your sister? Who really wanted the estrangement?" Elaina asked.  
  
"I can't answer that," Sonny said.  
  
"I think you can you just don't prefer to." Elaina turned to walk away.  
  
"Agent Blakely," Sonny stopped her.  
  
"What?" Elaina's tone was slightly angry.  
  
"Why all the questions?"  
  
"They're questions you'll have to answer for Sabrina. I don't want her going through a lot of agony because you refuse to answer her questions."  
  
"You sound more like her mother than her friend or boss," Sonny commented.  
  
"Sabrina and I have become close over the past few months," Elaina told him, walking back to him.  
  
"Do you treat everyone here like that?"  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"A mother bear protecting her cubs," Sonny stated.  
  
"Listen, I'll fight for any friend or family member. I fight to win. Remember that. Don't hurt Sabrina by dodging her questions be honest and upfront. You won't have to worry about me."  
  
"I just saw the Agent Blakely I first met. I was wondering if she was still around," Sonny said, smiling.  
  
"She's still here. If you want to see just how she protects family, stick around. If I have my way I'll get to those kidnappers one way or the other."  
  
"I believe you." 


	7. Clash Of The Donovans

The phone rang; Frank answered. "I want to speak to my children." He demanded before the caller could say anything.  
  
"They'll be released when Sonny Walker brings the ransom to the Lincoln Park Zoo at 8 pm tonight. Put the ransom money and bonds in two separate cases. He's to put them next to the gate. He'll be watched. He's to leave the area immediately. If there's anyone in the area, your children will suffer the consequences."  
  
"I want to speak to my children or you can forget about the ransom," Frank insisted.  
  
There was a long pause. "Frank?" It was Derek.  
  
"Derek, are you and Sarah ok?" Frank asked as Elaina put her arm around him.  
  
"Yeah, as well as two kidnapped kids can be. Is Mom there?"  
  
"Yes sweetie, I'm here. Where's Sarah?" Elaina asked, trying not to cry.  
  
"Right here. I'm holding her. She can hear you."  
  
"Sarah, I love you baby," Elaina said.  
  
"Momma. Need you."  
  
"I know baby girl." Elaina had to step away.  
  
"Dad, do as they say. Get us back home please," Derek begged.  
  
"That's enough," the caller said, taking the phone back. "Listen to your son. Make the drop and they'll be released within the hour afterwards. Don't try to catch us, if you do they'll die." The caller hung up.  
  
"I want that area secured. You're to be invisible, when you follow them back to where ever they go," Frank ordered.  
  
"No! You won't have them followed. You heard him. They'll hurt the kids, if we don't do as they say. I'm not risking our children's lives to catch them. We know who they possibly are, we'll follow their instructions," Elaina ordered.  
  
"Elaina, we need to follow them. They maybe lying about turning them loose," Andy tried to reason with her.  
  
"I said NO! I can't take the risk of them being taken away from us permanently. Please, just do as they said." Elaina started to cry again, so Monica took her to the living room. Minutes later Frank came in to see her.  
  
"I'm going with them to watch the drop. Sab and Monica are going to stay with you."  
  
"If you're going so am I." Elaina stared at him.  
  
"That's not a good idea, you're too explosive. I want you here," Frank told her.  
  
"I'm going and you better stay out of my way," Elaina threatened, walking past him.  
  
He grabbed her around the waist. "I'm going to get in your way, because you're not going. Stay here, they may call before we get back. If they do you need to answer."  
  
"You stay, you're the one they've been dealing with, not me. If you're not here, they'll know they've been set up and they'll hurt the kids," Elaina's yelling, brought the others from the office.  
  
"You can tell them I broke down and can't come to the phone."  
  
"No! You stay I'll go and that's final!" Elaina was still yelling.  
  
"You both stay here!" Andy said, trying to take control. "Elaina is right. If they call and you don't answer they might try to hurt the children. And Elaina. Frank is right. You're too unstable for this. You put me in charge, so let me handle the drop," Andy said.  
  
"I knew putting you in charge was a mistake. If I want to go, I'll go. No one will stop me." Elaina pulled away from Frank but he grabbed her arm.  
  
"Andy is right. We'll both stay here." Frank struggled to keep hold of her.  
  
"Let go of me." Elaina freed her right arm and decked Frank. He became furious and he twisted her arm behind her trying to control her, hoping she'd calm down.  
  
"E. Stop it! I'm not letting go of you. You're out of control." Frank motioned for the others to leave before she got away from him.  
  
"You better let go of me or you're going to have one hell of a fight on your hands in about 10 seconds," Elaina yelled.  
  
"Give it you best shot, Sweetheart. You're not going anywhere," Frank insisted as he tightened his grip on her.  
  
Elaina kicked at his legs, his grip loosened enough for her to hit him again. He kept hold of her left arm and in defense of her moving to hit him again, he hit her in the face harder than he wanted. His anger was becoming as explosive as hers. The blow caught Elaina by surprise and it angered her more.  
  
Sab heard the fight and came out of the office. "Monica, we have to stop them before they hurt each other more."  
  
Frank heard what she said. "Stay out of it, both of you."  
  
Elaina touched her lip and found blood. She punched him again, staggering him. Sab knew they were out of control and they needed to be stopped, no matter what.  
  
"Stop it please." She tried to get between them. Elaina drew back again to hit Frank as Sab got in front of her. She saw the fear in Sabrina's eyes and she caught herself before she hit her.  
  
"Sab. I'm sorry.I never.I was trying.Please," Elaina tried to apologize but she couldn't find the words before Sab turned and ran from the room.  
  
"I'll go talk to her," Frank said.  
  
"I'll go I know more about her background than you do. We should never have let what happen, go as far as it did." Elaina walked out to find Sab.  
  
Elaina went to the kitchen but she wasn't there. She went to the back porch and found her sitting in a chair. Elaina walked out trying to find the words to apologize. "Sabrina, I'm really sorry.."  
  
Sab didn't look at her. "You almost lost a friend tonight. If you had hit me, I'd never have spoken to you ever again."  
  
"I do know that. I wish that I could take that moment back, I really do but I can't," Elaina told her.  
  
"I know. I have never seen the two of you that angry before. I was really afraid especially after he hit you so hard."  
  
"I don't think either of us was hitting each other. We were just lashing out because of the circumstances and the pressure of what had happened."  
  
"I thought the two of you were different. I never thought you'd actually beat each other like that."  
  
Sabrina, believe it or not that's the first time Frank ever hit me like that. I know he didn't mean it. I saw it in his eyes. Our anger got way out of control from the circumstances of today. We needed to lash out and we did it to each other."  
  
"I have seen the two of you fight but never like that. When I saw Frank hit you from the office, it brought back a flash from my past."  
  
"Of Logan hitting you and your Mom?"  
  
"Yeah. It just came flooding back to me," Sab said, as she looked out into the darkness.  
  
"I'm sorry. It's all my fault. If I could just control my anger none of this would've happened. I've tried anger management classes, just about everything to keep it in check but there are times when it has to surface. Frank knew what I was like before we became involved. He told me he could handle it. Right, Frank?" Elaina said, without turning around.  
  
Sab turned to see Frank standing in the doorway. "How did you know he was there?"  
  
"She has Frank radar, I can never sneak up on her." Frank came out to bee with them. "I'm sorry for what happened Sabrina. We should've handled ourselves differently. Elaina is right though. I did know she had a bad temper before we started our relationship. She lashes out occasionally. I know how to handle her, except today, I was lashing out too and it made matters worse."  
  
"I have to be honest, I don't like it when the two of you fight like that. I really don't like you as a person then either. You know I like being your friend but if we're to stay friends in the future, you have got to get a grip on your anger. I don't want to be your next victim. I almost was tonight and it scared the hell out of me." Sab talked mainly to Elaina.  
  
"I don't want to lose you as a friend either. I'll work as hard as I can to keep it in check. I promise you, with all my heart. I know what happened was wrong and can never be justified. I'll try very hard to keep it from happening again," Elaina promised.  
  
"We both promise," Frank added.  
  
"At least in front of me?" Sab smirked. "I'm not naïve to think that you two have a perfect marriage or life, but to me, it's pretty damn close. I hope Cody and I have half the relationship the two of you have."  
  
"I'm wondering what would happen if Cody were to ever lose control and hit you?" Frank asked.  
  
"I'll kill him. No man, or woman, will ever hit me again." Sab's tone was very serious.  
  
"I know that you mean that but I hope your love for Cody is deep enough to try to find out why it happened first. Damn it! I'm sorry if that sounded stupid. A spouse to forgive the other for beating her is stupid but I'm not really talking about beatings, I'm talking about one punch in anger." Elaina sighed in frustration. "Maybe I don't know what I'm talking about. I only know how I feel. I don't feel abused and I hope Frank doesn't either."  
  
"I don't. I never have, it doesn't happen as often as it seems. She does get angry but she doesn't strike out every time."  
  
"I know what you're trying to say, is that things happen in the heat of the moment, that would normally not. It doesn't make it right for either of you to hit one another," Sab told them.  
  
"Was it ok for you to hit Maria in anger? And I saw the look on your face at the wedding shower you wanted to deck Frank for kissing you then," Elaina asked.  
  
"At the time it was right for me to.. Oh. I see what you mean. I guess I'm one to talk about hitting in anger. Sorry," Sab said as Elaina put her arm around her.  
  
"Why don't the three of us try to keep our anger inside and work it out on a punching bag and not another person?" Elaina suggested.  
  
"I guess I won't kill Cody, but he better never hit me," Sab said.  
  
"I doubt that Cody would ever be that angry with you. Besides if he did and I saw it, you won't have to kill him, I will," Elaina joked.  
  
"He did get angry at Frank today," Sab remembered.  
  
"That was scary to me. I didn't know if he'd realize Cody was just stressed or whether they were going to come to blows," Elaina said looking at Frank.  
  
"I was worried too but you seemed to calm them down."  
  
"Go figure, the hot head making peace," Elaina quipped.  
  
"If you two are going to talk, like I'm not here, I think I will go back in with Monica," Frank told them.  
  
"I do have something I'd like to say to Sab in private, if you don't mind?" Elaina stated.  
  
"I'm sorry. I hit you. This wasn't our first fight but I hope it's our last," Frank told her giving her a kiss on the cheek.  
  
"So, am I. Considering I started it, I should apologize more," Elaina said.  
  
"Damn! You admitted starting the fight and I actually have a witness." Frank laughed.  
  
"A witness to what?" Sab teased.  
  
"No, you don't. You aren't going to deny hearing her," Frank said.  
  
"I want it to be our last. I never want to do it again. I'm going to talk to Allison again about my anger issues. My lashing out has got to stop and now," Elaina told them She gave Frank a hug.  
  
"I'll help, I'll even go to therapy with you, if you want?" Frank said.  
  
"Damn! I have a witness to that, so you can't back out." Elaina and Sab giggled.  
  
"I figure the next time you get out of control, I'll just hogtie and gag you." Frank grinned at her.  
  
"I'd like to see you try." Elaina kissed him but it hurt her lip. "Damn, is it that painful for you when you have a busted lip?"  
  
"Yeah but I tend to ignore the pain, because I love kissing you so much," Frank said, smiling.  
  
"Well, I love kissing you too, so I guess I'll have to fight the pain." Elaina kissed him again. "Please leave now, so I can talk to Sab."  
  
"Ok, you can have your girl talk. I'll go." Frank went back in.  
  
"What did you want to say to me that you didn't want him to hear?" Sab asked, after he was inside.  
  
"Sonny said something to me that at the time I thought was just an observation on his part. But then it got me to thinking. More than one person has said the same thing and I always ignored it."  
  
"Elaina, you're talking in circles spit it out," Sab told her.  
  
"When you said I'd lose a friend earlier, it was like a knife through my heart. I realized that you're more than a friend to me. I've grown to love you as a member of my family. In thinking about it, I know that I have acted like a mother figure to you. I guess that comes from being a mother. But it's also because Allison asked me last summer, before we left Montana, to be around for you since she wasn't. She thought you could use someone close by to talk to. So I told her I would."  
  
"You think of me as family?" Sab said, surprised.  
  
"Yes, I do. I've been very protective, trying to keep Maria from hurting you and not even Frank knows this but when you were shot, I slipped into your room when Bea got Cody to step out. I wanted to see how you were myself," Elaina confessed.  
  
"I thought you were out of town then?" Sab asked, thinking back to that time.  
  
"I was but when Frank told me, I came home on the next flight. After checking on you, I went home as if I just got in. I never told him I went to see you."  
  
"Wow. I don't know what to say," Sab was flattered by everything she told her.  
  
"Don't worry about it. You don't have to say anything. I just wanted you to know. I'll always be here for you, no matter what." Before Sab could say anything to her the phone rang. They both ran to the office. 


	8. The Drop

"This is Donovan. Where are my children?" Frank asked, answering the phone.  
  
"They're ready to be released. We'll bring them to the end of the road leading to your home. They're on their way. I promise they are not hurt." The caller hung up.  
  
"I'm not comfortable with the idea that they know where we live," Elaina said, getting her gun from the safe and handing Frank his.  
  
"Where do you two think you're going?" Sab asked.  
  
"You heard them we're going to pick up the kids," Frank said as Elaina gave him a headset.  
  
"But they said that they'd call after the drop. Cody hasn't called to say they made the drop yet. Besides they haven't had time to get there yet," Monica informed them.  
  
Frank looked at his watch. "Monica's right."  
  
"I don't care! Maybe they had a change of heart and are just letting them go in hopes they don't get caught," Elaina reasoned.  
  
"Lady, it doesn't make any since. They went this far. Getting the money first, and then letting them go is the smart thing to do," Frank told her.  
  
"I think it's a trap," Sab said. "Maybe even for Sonny."  
  
"Call Cody and tell him what happened here. We'll go to the corner and hopefully take care of things there," Frank ordered.  
  
"I'll call. Sab, you go with them," Monica told her, handing her a headset and gun.  
  
"Why me? Why don't you go?" Sab asked.  
  
"Don't argue about who's going, Sabrina. You're going because Monica said you were," Frank told her as he pushed her to the door.  
  
"Alright! I'll go, no need to get pushy," Sab said as they went out to the cars.  
  
*****  
  
"Cody, this is Monica can you hear me?"  
  
"Go ahead, Monica. What's up?" Cody asked.  
  
"We think they're setting a trap for Sonny. The kidnappers have already called saying they're going to release the kids, on the road leading here. We knew you hadn't had time to get to the drop site, so something has to be going on."  
  
"We'll handle things here. We'll call you when we make the drop," Andy said. He then turned to Sonny. "You heard her. Do you still want to go through with this?"  
  
"If they call, that they have the kids. I see no reason too but if they don't, we'll have to play it out. I have my own theory that the kidnapper will time it out to happen at the same time."  
  
"That may be. I guess we'll know in a few minutes," Andy said looking at his watch.  
  
*******  
  
Frank and Elaina waited by the car, for the kidnappers to show. They could see a good distance in every direction. Sab was hiding in among a stand of trees that was along the road.  
  
"If anything moves in here, can I shoot it?" Sab asked, hating the dark.  
  
"No, you're suppose to be hiding remember?" Frank told her.  
  
"You probably scared the critters out when you walked in there," Elaina said.  
  
"Oh thanks. What if they come back?" Sab tried to look around but it was too dark.  
  
"I see headlights. Make sure you're not seen Sab," Frank told her.  
  
A van pulled up shining its lights in Frank and Elaina's eyes. They shielded their eyes from the lights and tried to focus on the doors as they opened. Two people got out. "Stay where you are. They'll walk over to you in a minute," a female voice said.  
  
They heard the side door of the van open. Elaina barely made out someone being helped from the van. She heard Frank sigh heavily, and then turned back to the van, to see Derek holding Sarah.  
  
"It's them, " Elaina whispered, wanting to run to them but knew she couldn't.  
  
"Stay there, they'll come to you. I have a gun on them, so do as I say." This voice belonged to another man but not McMillan.  
  
"We will. Just let them go," Frank yelled to them.  
  
"Walk slowly and no tricks kid," the man said, shoving Derek to get him started. Derek walked slowly wanting to take off running but was afraid too. He walked to his mother watching her the whole time. He saw that she was anxious by the way she moved her feet while standing there. As Derek made it to Elaina she pulled them close to her.  
  
"Now say goodbye to them," the male voice said as gunfire erupted.  
  
Elaina pushed them into the car. "Stay down no matter what," she told Derek.  
  
Elaina returned fire with Frank and Sab. Sarah was screaming and crying as Derek was trying to calm her. The firing from the van stopped. Frank and Sab approached the van cautiously. Both kidnappers were down. Frank walked back to the car after he and Sabrina checked them.  
  
"Are all of you ok? Frank said, hugging Derek and Sarah.  
  
"Sarah is scared but we're ok." Derek let Sarah go to her father.  
  
"Hey Princess, you're going to be just fine," Frank said as he held her tight held her tight.  
  
Elaina hugged Derek. "Mom, I can't breath."  
  
"I'm sorry, honey. I'm just so glad to see you and that you're ok." Elaina let go.  
  
Sab came over and hugged Derek. "Glad to have you back."  
  
"That makes it unanimous," Derek said.  
  
"Hey Sarah! You should be smiling and laughing, not crying." Sab kissed her on the cheek.  
  
"Let me hold my baby girl," Elaina told Frank.  
  
"I would but she has her famous death grip and isn't letting go of me."  
  
"Ok. I can still hug and kiss her." Elaina did then turned to Sab. "Are they departed?" Talking about the kidnappers.  
  
"They won't be taking anyone again," Sab told her.  
  
"Oh shit! Cody abort the drop it's a set up." Elaina said as she heard Andy giving orders.  
  
"Too late Sonny's already made it and coming back." Cody heard shots ring out. "Oh boy someone just shot at him," Cody reported.  
  
"Oh no," Sab said. "Please let him be ok."  
  
Jake ran over to Sonny to cover him. "Stay down," Jake told him. A few more bullets whizzed by them then they stopped.  
  
"I got the shooter. He's still alive, Cody," Alex reported.  
  
"Ambulance is on the way." Cody said.  
  
"Are you ok Sonny?" Jake asked.  
  
"Yeah kid. I'm fine, thanks to the vest." Sonny smiled.  
  
"Everyone is ok here," Andy said. "I'll go with McMillan and see if he talks any."  
  
"Thanks Andy," Frank answered.  
  
"I'm glad Sonny is ok," Sab sighed.  
  
"Well Frank, I guess you get a new car, thanks to the kidnappers," Elaina said, looking over the shot up car.  
  
"I just got that one broke in," Frank sounded sad.  
  
"At least we don't have to pay for it. The government will. It was our jobs that caused all this to begin with."  
  
"You're not going to start talking about resigning again are you?" Frank asked.  
  
"No! I'm not going to resign, but I do have an idea that you may not care for. I'll tell you about it later." Elaina's smirk told him he wasn't going to like it.  
  
"Why not tell me now?" Frank asked.  
  
"Because I don't want to discuss it now, that's why. Besides I have to run it past Andy first," Elaina said, mysteriously.  
  
"Am I going to regret this in any way?" Frank asked as she walked over to Derek and Sab. Elaina just smiled at him.  
  
""Mom, I want to walk back. I need to have some time to think. Please?" Derek asked her.  
  
"Sure, go ahead but be careful as dark as it is," Elaina wasn't keen on the idea but she knew her son well enough to let him go.  
  
"I will Mom. I love you." He kissed her and started walking and then took off running.  
  
"He'll be fine. He just needs to work out his frustrations of what happened," Sab said to her.  
  
"Did he talk to you about what he was going through?" Frank asked.  
  
"He just asked about Becky. I told him she was upset. He said he wanted to talk to her as soon as he could," Sab answered.  
  
"I hear the cavalry coming," Frank said, as the sirens blared in the distance.  
  
"Do you know if Sonny will come back with Jake?" Sab asked.  
  
"Why would you want to know that?" Frank asked.  
  
"You don't know yet. Sonny may be my uncle," Sab told him.  
  
"What did she just say?" Frank wasn't sure what he heard.  
  
"Sonny maybe her uncle. His sister was married to Sab's father," Elaina explained.  
  
"Small world. But that does explain your devious side," Frank joked.  
  
"Ignore him Sab," Elaina said, laughing.  
  
"I have a lot of questions I just hope Sonny answers them," Sab said.  
  
"I think he will," Elaina said as the police cars pulled up. 


	9. Morning After

Elaina looked at the clock and saw that it was only 3 in the morning. _'Why can't I sleep?'_  Elaina thought to herself. _'My children are back and I have had a rough day. I should be asleep.'_ She looked over and Frank was sound asleep. That didn't surprise her he was falling asleep, rocking Sarah earlier. 

Elaina got up and put on her robe to walk quietly out of her room down to Sarah's room. She walked in and checked on her. She found her sleeping, peacefully. She walked over to the window and looked out at the dark early morning. She suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder, making her jump and gasp.

"I'm sorry I didn't want to say something and wake Sarah," Sab whispered.

"Instead, you try to give me a heart attack. Good thinking," Elaina joked. "Lets go into the hall."

They walked out in to the hall and sat on the floor. "I thought I heard someone walking around and when I looked out I saw you go in to check on Sarah."

"I can't sleep I guess I'm too keyed up yet," Elaina explained.

"I don't know why you would be. Having your kids taken, held for a ransom, you have a fight with Frank and then you're in a gun battle when you get the kids back. I really don't see why you'd be sleepless," Sab said, giggling.

"Seriously, I don't know what's wrong. I mean normally I can go right to sleep after Frank and I…..Well I guess you really don't want to know that. But that usually works when I can't sleep but this time it didn't."

"Well I know what you're talking about. That's one way to relax but maybe your mind wants you to stay awake for some reason. Is there something you forgot to do tonight?" Sab asked, trying to figure it out.

"I can't think of anything. Why aren't you sleeping?"

"Cody woke me up snoring and I couldn't go back to sleep."

"I don't have that problem with Frank I just lean on him and wake him up if he snores, which is seldom. He does the same with me, which is often." Elaina giggled.

"Elaina, I didn't get a chance to tell you this before. I really like that you think of me as family.  There's just one thing about it that bothers me," Sab said, seriously.

"And what would that be?"

"If you're like a mother image for me. Does that make Frank my father image?" Sab started laughing.

Elaina laughed. "Please don't say that to him. He may not think its funny."

"Oh well, I do," Sab said, still laughing.

"I did tell Frank about that conversation and he's worried that I'll be jealous when you do find your mother. I told him that wouldn't happen, because I'm the one trying to get you to look for her."

"That's true. I imagine you and Allison could use the break too. I've been a handful at times."

"You haven't been that bad. Other than you and my cousin having it out and then you thought you were pregnant. You lied to me, to help my husband get me out of town when Maria escaped the hospital. Have I missed anything?"

"That's enough, I think." Sab smiled and then stifled a yawn.

"Ok, you go back to bed. I think I'll go wake up Frank let him know I can't sleep," Elaina said with a giggle.

"Elaina, there's one more thing. I hate to say this, I feel as if I'm squealing on him."

"Don't worry. I know that Becky is in with Derek."

"You do? You're not doing anything about it?" Sab was very surprised and a little confused.

"Of course I'll do something about it. I just want him to think he's getting away with it for now. Besides I don't think he'd do anything with a house full of people."

"You and Frank did." Sab giggled.

"Yeah and if I'm not mistaken I heard you and Cody too," Elaina countered.

"Hey we were quiet. You couldn't have heard….Damn it you got me again, didn't you? You're sneaky and rude to get confessions like that from people," Sab told her.

"I don't force confessions from people. They just tend to trust me with information." Elaina smirked and then laughed. "Good night, Sab. Don't worry about Derek, he'll get what's coming to him."

"Good night, Lainie," Sab said using her nickname for the first time. Elaina smiled at her.

*******

The next morning Frank went downstairs to find Cody and Sab fixing breakfast. "I guess we had the same idea. I was going to fix something for Elaina and take it up to her. She didn't sleep well last night."

"I know, she was up late and we talked for a while," Sab told him.

"Good morning, everyone," Elaina said, very cheerfully as she came in the kitchen.

"Well I can scratch that idea," Frank said. "I was going to serve you in bed."

"Oh well. I want to go out and check on Sahara. When I finally went to sleep, I had a dream about her and the foal." 

"What foal?" Sab asked.

"That's right I haven't told any of you, yet. Sahara is going to be a Momma in a few weeks," Elaina said.

"Just in time for Sarah's birthday," Frank added. "We're going to give the foal to her."

"Awe, that's sweet. She'll love that," Sab said.

"Why is it such a secret, that you never told us?" Cody asked.

"We wanted to make sure she carried it. Didn't want to jinx it," Elaina said. "That and I've been too busy lately to mention it."

"She's being used in the therapy sessions, doesn't that bother her?" Cody asked.

"No she has been ok until a week ago and she quit taking her saddle. She doesn't like it. She bucks, when we try so we let her stop working."

"We put her on maternity leave," Frank said, laughing.

"Please, don't say anything to Sarah ok?" Elaina asked.

"We won't. Wouldn't want to spoil the surprise," Sab said.

"I want to go look her over and make sure she's ok." Elaina went out the back and Frank followed her. "You don't have to come with me stay and have breakfast," Elaina told him.

"I'd rather help you. They do need to be fed. We might as well do it and let Derek sleep in."

"Well, since you brought him into conversation, I have something you need to know."

"What now?" Frank said, opening the gate.

"Becky stayed the night in his room or did you already know that?" Elaina asked.

"How would I've known? I was asleep most of the night?" They walked to Sahara's stall.

"Yeah, I know. I wasn't and I heard her come in. I just haven't figured out what we need to do about it." Elaina went in and started to examine the horse.

"Leave them alone," Frank said, watching her.

"What?!" Elaina was surprised. She came back around the horse.

"You heard me. I don't think we need to do anything. He knows what will happen if he gets her pregnant. He knows how we feel about them being together. Other than breaking them up, we're not going to stop them being together. The more we're against it, the more they'll defy us and find a way to be alone."

"Have you been talking to your Mom or Allison, someone had to tell you that." Elaina leaned against the doorway.

"I didn't talk to either of them. I just decided here and now that we need to quit running his life. Let him make mistakes and deal with them. How's Sahara?" Frank said, trying to change the subject.

"Fine, she's not showing any signs of premature birth. Why are you acting like this? All of a sudden you want to treat Derek as an adult." Elaina wasn't finish with the subject.

"He's an adult in more ways than we've ever gave him credit for. He does have some growing up to do but all of us are still growing up. I think you need to realize, that he isn't your little boy anymore."

"He will always be my little boy. I'm still trying to figure out how you came to this conclusion over night."

"He did everything he could to help us get them back home. He did everything we ever told him to do if it ever happened.  He told me last night that he was glad that we didn't figure out the exact location because he believed they would've hurt them if we showed up," Frank explained to her as he leaned on the wall next to her.

"I'm proud of him but this one instance doesn't mean to me, that he grew up totally."

"It isn't just this one instance. He handled himself very well when you had your operation and a few months ago when you were drugged and had the stroke, he handled it better than I did," Frank admitted.

"I guess I just don't want to see it because when I do, I'll have to let go." Elaina had tears in her eyes.

"Lady, you had to know you couldn't baby him forever," Frank hugged her.

"Yeah. I know but I thought I'd give it my best shot." Elaina laughed.

"We better get the horses fed or breakfast will be ate by everyone but us," Frank said as he started to the tack room.

 "Frank, I'd like to go back to working assignments again. Would you be angry if I did?" Frank turned back around to face her,

"All depends on the assignment and how dangerous it is," Frank told her.

"I'd be working with you and the team. I wouldn't be working on my own," Elaina explained as she walked up to him.

"You want to work with us, not on your own?"

"Right. You and I working together."

"As equals or as my boss or will I be your boss?" Frank gave an evil grin.

"Equals," Elaina said.

"I didn't think you would let me be your boss." Frank held her close to him. 

"So is that a yes, that I can go back to work in the field?" She looked into his beautiful brown eyes.

"If I say no, it will make you mad at me and I don't want that. Yes, but I choose when you go undercover. Deal?"

"Deal." Elaina kissed him.

"Hello cousins. I see nothing has changed much here."

They looked and saw Maria in the doorway of the stables. "Maria! When did you get released? I thought you were having surgery in a few days?" Elaina walked over and hugged her cousin.

"They said I could go home for a couple of days. I called Jake this morning to pick me up. He told me what happened, so I decided to come here first."

"I didn't realize he had left. They all stayed here to keep from driving back home late last night," Frank explained.

"I wish I could've been here for you," Maria said.

"I made it through. You were where you needed to be. We didn't tell anyone what was going on. We kept it to ourselves and the team of course," Elaina told her, so she wouldn't feel she kept it just from her.

"Why don't you two go back in and talk I'll finish up here?" Frank suggested.

"No, I'd rather talk out here. I don't feel comfortable around Cody and Sab."

"They won't stay anything to you. This is my home and you're family. I've talked to Sab and told her she had to stop with the anger toward you. She just wants you not to bother them."

"I don't plan on ever hurting her again. I ruined a perfectly good friendship. I almost lost you because of my little game. I realized how it hurts others and I'll never do it again. I think I have someone that likes me a lot and we're going to work on our relationship."

"Talking about Jake? I hope you can work it out, he does care about you a lot," Elaina said.

"I know and I'm going to let him be there when I have the surgery, you too if you want."

"I was going to be there whether you liked it or not," Elaina told her.

"I thought you would be." Maria hugged her.

"Let's go in. I'll make sure there's no trouble."

"Unless she starts it," Frank added.

"He's right," Elaina said as they went out.

They went in through the kitchen, Jake was in talking to Sab as she did dishes. "There you are, you should be resting not out walking around," Jake told Maria as he made her sit down.

Elaina noticed that Sab kept her back to Maria. "Maria, I guess you'll be in good hands the next few days. Jake seems to know how to treat you." Elaina leaned against the sink.

"You're not going to force me to talk to her," Sab whispered to her and walked off. 

"I know how to clear a room," Maria said.

"Don't worry about her. You and Jake talk stay as long as you like." Elaina walked in the living room.

"I can't believe Elaina wants me to talk to her. I can't do it Cody. I've tried before and I can't," Sab said as Elaina came in the room. Cody turned Sab around to see her. 

"I'd never force you to talk to her. We do have a deal though, that we're both going to keep our anger down. I told you holding on to your hatred of her was going to get to you. I want it to stop and stop now. You're my friend and she's my cousin. The two of you, will be seeing one another at work or here. You need to at least tolerate being around her without acting rude and not speaking at all."

"I'll try but don't expect a miracle," Sab said.

"All I ask is that you at least try for me," Elaina told her. 

"Lainie, it's ok. She doesn't have to talk to me. I know how she feels toward me and I don't blame her. I was mean and rude to her. I don't expect forgiveness from her or Cody.  Like I told you. I screwed up a perfectly good friendship and I have to live with that. Not that it will make any difference but Sabrina, I'm truly sorry for what I put you through and I hope you and Cody have a long and happy life together."

"Thank you Maria," Cody said.

Elaina and Cody looked at Sab. "Thanks."

"See that didn't hurt did it?" Elaina smiled.

"Actually it did. Cody was squeezing my hand and it hurt." Sab laughed. "Hey, how was Sahara? Is she ok?"

"She's fine, seems everything is on schedule for the surprise."

"That's great news," Cody said.

"Oh Sab I have something for you." Elaina walked over to the shelf and picked up a book. "This is everything you will need to plan a wedding. I made it for you last night when I couldn't sleep."

"Congratulations Sab," Maria said. "You'll make a beautiful bride."

"You will too when you get married," Sab told her.

"I don't believe it they're talking," Frank whispered coming up behind her.

"It's a start. I don't see it turning into any more than small talk but it's better than nothing," Elaina said. 


End file.
